A 57-year-old man, who first molested his niece when she was 10-years-old, was sentenced to two years in jail on Wednesday morning.

The crane operator, who has been diagnosed with paedophilia, touched the girl's private parts and rubbed his private part against her on three occasions between 2007 and 2011.

He performed the acts in his home when there were other family members also around.

In deciding his sentence, District Judge Ng Peng Hong said that deterrence was a factor. He said that the man had breached the trust held in family relations, and that the actions were not performed on the spur of the moment. A gag order has been placed on the identities of the parties involved to protect the victim, who is now 14.